Underestimation
by Arerererererererere
Summary: It was going to be settled with a game of... Air Hockey? Kickin' it old school. "And if I win, you go on a date with me." "Deal." It was.. intense. SasuSaku.


**- Underestimation -**

"What… the…"

"How did you…?"

"Wow…"

All the kids said that at least once to her.

Haruno Sakura was THE best at… (Guess. I dare you.)

Air Hockey.

It's true. All kids, and even adults, marvel at how she was so extraordinarily good. There were often comments that if Air Hockey was an official sport, Sakura would be rich. Known all over the world by everyone. Or at least everyone at the candy store game corner.

Of course being who she was, Sakura used her talents to her advantage. Who wouldn't? They all never knew what was coming. Especially from a girl who was five foot one.

_Underestimation _was basically her motto. Technically, it wasn't her fault if they underestimated her. It was theirs. It was their fault if they left empty-handed while Sakura headed home with all their betted money. It felt sweet.

Yes, Haruno Sakura betted for money. Not very much money, though; usually only around a dollar to five dollars at the most per game. But how else would she get her daily strawberry smoothie from Hatake-san, who owned the whole candy store.

And the best part yet?

Her parents didn't care.

Because technically, Sakura wasn't stealing money. She was earning it. In her own special, cheap, scamming-ish sort of way. So they should really be encouraging her. Her dad actually said she should be charging more, but she didn't want to make these kids broke. She wanted them to still have money when they came around again to challenge her.

Yes, life was good.

So far, at least.

* * *

It wasn't until Sakura's mom said that she couldn't go to the candy store anymore that she actually thought her world fell apart. Her whole life didn't revolve around Air Hockey, but most of it did. Around… yeah most of it.

Sakura wouldn't be able to get strawberry smoothies anymore! How sad. And that's exactly what she told her mom.

Obviously her mom didn't care whether or not her daughter got her daily smoothie. Or it was that she didn't understand. It was more of a teenager type thing. Those sudden cravings that you just had to fulfil. Or you might as well just go hysterical.

So, sadly, Sakura stopped going to the candy store. But she never really stopped thinking about Air Hockey. It was as if it had completely taken over her mind even more than it did before. Really. It had been a whole month before her best friend Ino insisted to take her back to that candy store.

"You'll never believe what's happened!" Ino kept telling her over and over again. She said those same words so often it made Sakura annoyed just to be with her sometimes.

But curiosity got the better of Sakura, so she snuck up to the candy store right after school with Ino. But just before the two went inside Ino stopped abruptly, holding Sakura back as well.

"Now you go on without me, Sakura," Ino said, leaving her at the door. "I'll wait for you out here."

"Why don't you just come in?" Sakura was confused.

"Because," Ino said, almost physically shivering, "I don't think I'll be able to handle myself."

"Huh?"

But to make Sakura even more confused, Ino whispered dramatically, "Be careful."

Sakura still didn't know what Ino meant, but she couldn't resist any longer. Ino had pushed her through the door, and the familiar bell chimed as she stepped in. Looking around, she saw the familiar store keeper greet her with a warm smile as if it to say without words, "Welcome back!"

Nothing had really changed in the last month. But why should it? Big and exciting things rarely happened in this town, let alone in this tiny shop. Sakura scurried to the back of the store to the game corner. Oh, how she missed…

Wait a minute.

Who was _that_?

Tall. Lean. Muscular. Sakura had never seen him before. Yet, he was stationed at the Air Hockey table. In _her _spot.

When the boy noticed Sakura's presence he looked at her, as if he had been waiting for her to come all this time. He had black eyes to match his black hair.

"You," he muttered almost inaudibly.

…And his black personality.

"What?" Sakura countered, miffed. She glared at him. How dare he think he can just replace her like that.

He walked over to stand in front of her. He was at least a foot taller than her. She had to look up at him.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he breathed down on her.

"Haruno Sakura," she replied back calmly. Now that he was closer, Sakura could understand what Ino meant earlier.

"_Because," Ino said, "I don't think I'll be able to handle myself."_

Sasuke was three words.

Drop. Dead. Gorgeous.

But Sakura wouldn't give into him just from his looks. No. Never.

"You're… the new 'champ'?" Sakura asked him, still evenly. But she already knew what the answer was.

Sasuke simply nodded, and then a smirk appeared over his perfect face. But there was a reason why this Sasuke was in her spot, and she was going to get that reason. Or maybe, she wouldn't even bother.

"A game. Right now." Sakura challenged. "I win, you don't come back here." She smiled confidently.

"Fine," Sasuke stated coolly. "But if I win, you go on a date with me."

WHAT?!

Sakura's jaw nearly dropped, if she didn't try her very hardest to keep her cool. But she swore she felt herself flinch a bit. Then it was Sasuke's turn to smirk.

"Alright," she forced out. "Deal."

The game was on before she even really had time to think. Sasuke took her side, and Sakura took the other. It felt weird to be playing on this side. The loser side. She was so used to playing on the other side. Her usual, winning side. Air Hockey suddenly felt awfully foreign to her.

"_Be careful."_

Piece of cake, Sakura told herself.

* * *

"So how'd it go?" Ino asked eagerly, jumping up from the nearby bench she was waiting on.

Sakura walked right past her.

"Ino, I need a dress. Right now."

* * *

**Fairly short story that I came across. I wrote this... last year?**

**My inspiration was probably like, the 70's.**


End file.
